Resources for learning

If you’re interested in learning more about RAships or gaining some of the skills that might be helpful as an RA (and in research more generally!), here’s a list of some resources to explore.

Other RA guides

• J-PAL’s Advice for Landing an RA-ship

• Alvin Christian’s memos on pre-docs

Economics

• Causal Inference: The Mix Tape (Scott Cunningham): covers the essential causal inference strategies, including help with coding them up in Stata. Also has a companion Spotify playlist!
• Running Randomized Evaluations: A Practical Guide (Glennester), and corresponding website
• David McKenzie’s monster list on how to run studies in the developing world from the World Bank Blogs

Coding

General research computing skills

• Software Carpentry: includes lessons on Unix Shell, Git, Python and R.

Stata

• Germán Rodríguez’s Stata tutorial
• A Gentle Introduction to Stata, by Alan Acock
• Alexander Lembcke’s introduction to Stata, parts A and B
• Jack Blundell’s online Applied Econometrics in Stata course

R

• Germán Rodríguez’s introduction to R

Coding and data management principles

• Gentzkow and Shapiro’s Code and Data for the Social Sciences: A Practitioner’s Guide
• Gentzkow and Shapiro’s Internal RA Manual
• Michael Stepner’s coding style guide
• World Bank Development Impact Evaluation (DIME)’s Wiki
• Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA)’s Best Practice Guide

Research communication

• Jesse Shapiro on…
  • How to present applied micro work
  • How to write an applied micro paper
• Jonathan Schwabish’s An Economist’s Guide to Visualizing Data

Growth, mentorship, and mental health

• Jesse Shapiro on applying for a PhD in economics
• Schlauch and Startz note on pre-graduate school characteristics of econ PhD candidates
• Chris Blattman’s blog on applying to grad school and much more
• Claudia Goldin’s list of resources for undergraduate women in economics